Swamped

You do have one idea. It's a bit desperate, but when faced with a giant fenguin with a magical mask, desperation is appropriate.

Back when Ringer and Quill found the lights, they said they reacted to the piano. They even showed you.

So maybe if you get some music going...

Well. You only know one song all that well. You think Fallet would consider this a respectable use of it, though.

"Our numbers were six hundred strong,
They told us nothing could go wrong..."

The flames are definitely reacting. You don't know what it means, but the mask's wearer doesn't seem happy about it.

Unfortunately, they have rather large claws to be unhappy with, so you're still got some work to do. Still, you're more agile than their current bulky form. You leap back as they swipe, and start circling to the other side. They turn slowly, which gives you a little time to think.

"And though we chased them from their camp,
One of the cowards overturned a lamp.
It lit a pool of oil and burned for days and days,
And one hundred troops died to that fateful blaze."

You're right by Mantis. Maybe he has something useful on him. You don't have time to think, so you just grab for his pouch and back off.

Unfortunately, the fenguin's just a little faster than you expected. It slashes at you again, and knocks you right back into the wall.

This damned pouch better have something good in it.

"Our numbers were five hundred strong,
They told us nothing could go wrong..."

Let's see. A couple of prayer-books, naturally. A few wood-carvings in progress that look a little like some of the gods. And... a rock?

The fenguin's getting close, so you fling a prayer book at it and continue singing as you circle around again. Unfortunately, you're in such a rush that you drop the pouch. If there's anything else useful in there, you'll have trouble getting at it.

"But as we sailed across the river,
The rains came down and made us shiver.
The water rose, ships crashed, and soldiers drowned.
One hundred souls lost, and never found."

Hang on, this rock is a scentstone. Right, now you remember - Mantis wanted to burn incense, but it was too dangerous around the swamp gas. So he bargained for a special stone that you could apply the fragrance to. Just rub it against something hard and it releases a smell.

A real strong smell, as you recall. Stronger than the swamp gas. You once got a whiff of that stuff without your breather mask on, and it was even worse without the filter.

Well. This intruder's mask doesn't have a filter, does it?

"Our numbers were four hundred strong,
They told us nothing could go wrong..."

You quickly leap back as the fenguin makes another punch. All this thinking is distracting you too much. But hey, at least you've got some kind of plan now, so you shouldn't need to think too much more.

Except... well, this dang stone needs to be rubbed against something. And that takes time. So what's a good enough surface, and how are you going to distract this thing long enough to do it?